Unwell
by Won-ting
Summary: [RyoSak] Echizen Ryoma is not in love, no matter what Kikumaru Eiji says—and yet, isn't that Echizen Ryoma kissing Ryuzaki Sakuno on the forehead? [Complete]


**Tennis no Oujisama © Konomi Takeshi, Jump, Shueisha****  
**

**Summery:** Echizen Ryoma is not in love, no matter what Kikumaru Eiji says—and yet, isn't that Echizen kissing Ryuzaki Sakuno on the forehead?

**Unwell**

**One-Shot**

_She asked me what was wrong..._

_At first no answer came,_

_Then, in a whisper, I spoke:_

"_Maybe... I love you."_

For the first time in his sixteen years of life, Echizen Ryoma didn't want to play tennis.

Instead, he wanted to get off the court and walk towards the young girl who was watching the current regulars play for the last ten minutes of practice. Even though he wanted too, he didn't make any move towards her. The only difference in him was that he was not staring at the match his sempais were playing but eyeing her across the courts. She wore a small smile on her face, her hands gripping at the fence. The wind gave a start and blew gently across the courts, causing her long brown hair to flutter in the wind. Her brown eyes met his hazel ones and he looked away, pretending to wipe some sweat off with the towel he had around his neck.

He could feel warmth in his cheeks and he tried to shake it off before a water bottle was shoved in front of him, he looked up and smiled taking the bottle away from Kaidoh. Opening the cap he muttered, "thank you, Kaidoh-sempai."

In response the sophomore hissed while tugging on his bandana, fixing it. "You don't look well," was all the snake like teenager said before walking away to face Inui who had motioned him over. Ryoma frowned, pulling the water bottle away from his lips. It was the _third_ time someone today had said that but, he wasn't sick. Recapping the bottle he vaguely heard Tezuka—who had become vice-captain to Aoyagi Kato (who was in the hospital because of an injury to his leg) during his last year of high school—tell everyone to go home.

"Che," Ryoma muttered, tugging on his cap as he looked ahead and caught sight of her again. This time she was talking to another freshmen on the team, whose name had slipped Ryoma's mind. His hands gripped the water bottle a bit tighter and he turned, a sudden and odd rush of frustration hitting him. He walked stiffly to the clubhouse and was trying hard to resist turning around and walking up to the other freshmen and—

—And he was out of his mind.

"Damn," Ryoma said under his breath while pausing to look onto the ground, in deeper thought; maybe he _was_ sick. Suddenly, arms wrapped around his shoulder from behind and he looked up at Eiji, startled. "Kikumaru-sempai, what are you doing?" he asked, gaining his voice a moment later.

"N_ya_," the boy sang before giggling into Ryoma's ear, "you look sad, ochibi!"

"I'm fine," Ryoma huffed, starting to get tired of people telling him how he felt or looked. Suddenly, Eiji was quiet but still hanging on Ryoma. The younger boy looked sideways at the junior and frowned before beginning to open his mouth, about to ask what was wrong when Eiji cut in, his tone low.

"You look like you're in love," Eiji said, sounding serious before hugging Ryoma tighter and giggling, "hoi, ochibi in _love_!"

"S- sempai," Ryoma said, pulling at Eiji's arm, "you're hurting me!"

"Opps," Eiji said, loosening his grip before pulling off Ryoma's hat and rubbing his hair affectionately, "you'll live—nya, Oi_shi!_"

Ryoma shook his head slightly as Eiji bounded off after Oishi, grinning. He bent over to lift his hat back up and head to the club house but two long and slender hands picked it up before him and slid it backwards on his head. "I think you dropped it, Ryoma-kun," she said, smiling.

For a moment, Ryoma didn't know how to speak. Ryuzaki Sakuno had grown in the past four years and was still shy and polite to everyone but to the people she had grown up with, she was more bold and talkative then she had been during their freshmen year in junior high. Of course her attitude wasn't the only thing, her looks, as the boys in their class like to talk about, were stunning and at times almost angelic. Ryoma coughed, fighting off a warmth that had suddenly touched his cheeks. He was sick. That had to be it, it _had_ to be. Why else would he be acting like this? Especially with _her..._

"_You look like you're in love."_

The blush won over and he pulled the bill of his hat down while hoping to hide his face as he muttered, "stupid sempai."

"Eh?" Ryuzaki's voice filled his mind again and he looked up at her. Their eyes met, hers wide and curious with her eyebrows slightly raised. Another random wind picked up and blew around them, her long hair was teased along with it, drifting slightly about her face. He turned his head and for an answer to her curiosity he shrugged, his heart beat quickening.

Maybe, he should go and see a doctor.

After a short pause, Ryoma spoke while turning towards the club house, his back now facing her, "I should go."

"I think I want to eat some ice cream," she said, suddenly, sounding casual. "Maybe, Shun-kun can bring me to the place he—"

"I'll bring you."

She was quiet for a moment but he didn't dare turn back around as he waited, and then, she whispered, "I'll wait."

A good half-an-hour later, Ryoma was agitated and bit angry at the same time. His eyes went sideways to his company and he sighed inwardly while placing his hands in his pocket, trying to calm himself. He didn't care about Kouno Shun, for one he couldn't even remember who that kid was, despite realizing he was both in his class and club. Frowning, he looked back at her. His lips twitched upwards slightly as she laughed at something he hadn't thought to listen too, her laughter somehow wiping away his earlier frustration. However, turning his head away and frowning again, he remembered why he was frustrated in the beginning.

"You keep calling him, 'Shun-kun,'" Ryoma muttered, not meaning to have said this out loud but left it hanging out there anyway. After a moment, Ryoma looked at her. "Isn't his name Kouno Shun?"

"Uh, yes," Ryuzaki said, titling her head to the side slightly, looking thoughtful, "Why?"

"Do you normally call people who you're not close to, by their given name?" Ryoma asked, looking away from her now.

"Why? Didn't I call you by your first name when I first met you?"

"You probably thought it was my last name," he said, sounding defensive, "my bag was made in America."

"I see," she said, with a small shrug, "but why would it matter if I called someone by their first name? Wouldn't it just mean that we're friends?"

"They..." he trailed off with a shake of his head, "you could be giving them the wrong idea."

"Shun-kun has a girlfriend," Ryuzaki said, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear, "besides, did _you_ get the wrong idea?"

"N—no," Ryoma muttered, flustered.

"I see," she said, smirking slightly as he met her eye.

"Che," Ryoma answered, turning his head away again as a faint blush crawled his cheeks.

"Ryoma-kun," Ryuzaki said so softly, he turned, wondering if he had imagined it. She had stopped walking and he did too, stopping a few steps away from her. She met his eyes and gave a small smile, her brown eyes wide. "Are you all right?"

"Huh?" he answered, wondering as to where she was getting at. He looked down at himself before back at her, "I look it, right?"

A smile settled on her lips and she walked towards him, looking a bit more content. "Its just..." she said, standing before him with a hand inching closer to his face, "you're cheeks are awfully red."

Ryoma opened his mouth to speak but when her hands touched his forehead, he had to clear his throat because somehow his voice had disappear on him. "I—it's hot," he muttered idiotically watching as her brows inched forward, confused.

"It's the middle of fall, Ryoma-kun," she said, pulling her hand away. "You're not warm though," she said, almost as an after thought as her eye went to the floor, thoughtful.

"_You look like you're in love_..."

The wind picked up again and he eyed her, her hair fluttered about again, touching her cheeks and brushing against her face. Smirking slightly, Ryoma leaned forward and pushed the lock securely behind her ear. She looked up, eyes wide while her cheeks were touched with a soft pink. Earlier, when she saw him talking to Kouno, he had frustrated. When she had talked about Kouno to him, he had gotten annoyed and when he realized she called him by given name the annoyance never left.

Echizen Ryoma had been jealous.

He tipped his head slightly towards her and his smirk grew, seeing her eyes widened. "R- Ryoma-kun," she whispered, sounding frantic, "W- What are you doing?"

"Saa," he answered, pulling away slightly and aiming higher instead, his lips touching her forehead. He couldn't suppress a grin as her cheeks reddened and she began to ask what he was doing again. Turning, he continued to walk, a hand motioning out to her. "Ice cream sounds good, don't it? _Sakuno_."

"Hai!" she answered, her footsteps catching up to him.

Echizen Ryoma, in love.

He swore inwardly and lazily, he could practically hear his father laughing at him already.

**End**

**Author's Note:** Another plot bunny taunted be all night yesturday. So, I stayed up writing this and woke up this morning only to re-write almost everything. I'm so sleepy. Hehe, but it was worth it!**  
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**Thank you for reading!**

**PS. Unforgiven's **sequel _should_ come after the fifth and so should **Together on the Courts** forth chapter!


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